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Colombia
Say ‘Colombia’ and most people will immediately think of something negative: drugs, guerrilla warfare, corruption, kidnappings, crime. This is hardly surprising, since these are some of the few factors about Colombia that regularly reach international media.
But the truth is that Colombia is one of the most beautiful countries in Latin America, and there are still many places there that are just as safe to visit as other destinations on the continent. So, if you stick to certain areas, don’t stray too far from the main tourist areas and heed current safety advice, there is no reason why you shouldn’t include Colombia in your itinerary.
Those that do travel to Colombia are well rewarded; Caribbean beaches, Andean highlands and fertile rainforest claim the highest diversity of flora and fauna in South America after Brazil, making it a perfect spot for nature lovers. Yet even those places deemed safe and developed for tourism have hardly been touched by outside visitors. But it’s not just natural wonders that draw the few that come to Colombia; good food, great bars and fantastic coffee are a Colombian trademark, while the locals are reputed to be some of the friendliest and most welcoming in the world, despite their hardships, and certainly haven’t lost their party spirit.
Places not to miss on your trip to Colombia:
- Bogotá: A well restored colonial center, cosmopolitan atmosphere and excellent restaurants and bars make the capital worth visiting despite the noise, dirt and crime it is renowned for.
- The combination of colonial history and Caribbean beaches make Cartagena popular with both foreign and Colombian tourists.
- Take the six-day trek through the northern lowlands to the Ciudad Perdida (lost city), one of the largest pre-Columbian towns ever discovered in the Americas.
- The islands of Providencia and San Andres off the Caribbean coast boast some great beaches, plus diving, snorkeling and nature watching.
- Leticia, on the southern tip bordering Peru and Brazil, is a good base for treks and boat trips into the Colombian Amazon Basin.
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Colombia Highlights
Museo de Oro
This small collection of pre-Columbian stone, textile, ceramic work, and requisite gold pieces, including some very fine, 2,500-year-old filigree pieces, provides excellent explanations about ...Pasto, Colombia
La Ciudad Perdida (Lost City)
The name Ciudad Perdida really is fitting as Colombia’s “lost city” went centuries without being discovered by the outside world. Treks to La Ciudad Perdida combine the opportunity to see some
...Near Santa Marta, Santa Marta, Colombia
Parque Nacional del Café
If Juan Valdez, the image of Colombian coffee through the world, had a farm, it would probably be on the grounds of the Parque Nacional del Café, the theme park for all things coffee related. ...Colombia
Plaza de Bolívar
La Plaza Bolívar is the ideal place for relaxation in the center of the old city. At lunchtime, the locals (mostly men) take advantage of the shade offered around the center statue of Simon
...El Centro, Cartagena, Colombia
Colombia's Best Beaches
Playa Blanca
Very few foreigners know of Playa Blanca because it is 30 minutes west of Coveñas. This nice town with small beaches separated by jetties is a vacation spot for Colombians seeking sand and sun. ...Coveñas, Colombia
The Blowing Hole
The Blowing Hole (El Hoyo Soplador)Only on a small Caribbean island in the middle of the ocean could a hole in the ground which occasionally blows a strong puff of air be a major tourist attraction.
...San Andres, San Andres, Providencia and Santa Catalina, Colombia
Santa Marta Beaches
Nothing surpasses the pale sand and warm waters of the Caribbean coast. Santa Marta is no exception. Within the city itself there's a beach along the camellón or seafront. Although a bit dirty, it
...Santa Marta, Colombia
The Other Beaches
Most visitors to Parque Nacional Natural Tayrona go to the beaches near Cañaveral and Arrecifes in the humid forest zone of the park. On the western end of Tayrona are other less-frequented beaches
...Colombia
Playa Grande and Playa Cristal
If the beach in town gets too familiar, try one of the other stretches of sand nearby. The knoll on the right-hand-side of Taganga Bay shelters Playa Grande, an expanse of pale golden arena.
From
...Taganga, Colombia
El Almejal Beach
Stretching along two kilometers and ending dramatically as the ocean's fury makes a meal of the rocks that border El Almejal, here can be found one of the Colombian Pacific coast's most telling
...El Valle, Colombia
La Piscina
A natural sea pool of crystalline waters has formed surrounded by rock and reef. Large and tranquil with warm waters, La Piscina is home to many species of colorful fishes that dart amongst the ...Colombia
Islas de San Bernardo
In its drive to attract affluent clientele and diversify the income of foreign tourist revenue, the Colombian Tourism industry has recently begun actively promoting the tiny ten-island archipelago of ...Tolú, Colombia
Bocagrande
A small island tucked into the mangrove estuaries near Tumaco, Bocagrande is a magical place to spend a few days. A crystalline sea washes upon fine, silvery sand. Soft breezes moderate the warm days ...Near Tumaco, Tumaco, Colombia
Beaches near Manaure
In and near Manaure are a number of lagoons where you can observe flamingos and other waterfowl. Many also have beaches where you can cool down. In Manaure itself, the beach is a shadeless, pale gray ...Manaure, Colombia
El Almejal Beach
Stretching along two kilometers and ending dramatically as the ocean's fury makes a meal of the rocks that border El Almejal, here can be found one of the Colombian Pacific coast's most telling
...El Valle, Colombia
Colombia's Top Treks
The Lost City Hike / Ciudad Perdida Hike
Hikes are organized from Santa Marta and Taganga and cost upwards of at least $150 per person, including transport, a guide and food. The better tours cost closer to $275 per person. Although it is
...Near Santa Marta, Santa Marta, Colombia
Trekking
Another prime activity in PNN El Cocuy is trekking across its plains. A series old trails traverse the wind-swept landscaped rimed with snow-covered mountains. The solitude makes it a wondrous
...Colombia
Camino Real to Guane
The Camino Real to Guane is part of the old Camino de Herradura that traversed the countryside from Girón, near Bucaramanga, to Barrancabermeja on the banks of the Río Magdalena. It was originally
...Barichara , Colombia
Sierra Nevada del Cocuy
If mountaineering and appreciating rare, natural beauty is your cup of tea, then you better start planning now to climb Sierra Nevada del Cocuy. Pico Iyer listed the mountain range with 18 snow
...Cocuy , Colombia
The Camino Real from San Gil to the Río Magdalena
I heard a bit of buzz from a friend in San Gil: Go trekking on the old camino real or Camino de los Guanes to the Río Magdalena. I checked it out a bit. Indeed, it appears you can follow the
...San Gil, Colombia
El Pilón de Azúcar
Out on the northeastern horizon you see an odd triangular-shaped rock rising out of the flat landscape. This is Kamainshi (Kamaici), the Lord of the Things of the Sea—or for alijuna, El Pilón de
...Cabo de Vela, Colombia
Las Lagunillas
An easy one-day hike road trip is to Las Laguillas. The “camino” is well defined along the Río Lagunillas, a small stream flowing around copses of “frailejón” and across the plain,
...Colombia
San José de Miranda & Tequia
(Miranda: Altitude: 1980 meters/6496 feet; Population: 5,450)
Tequia was founded in 1539, but due to lack of water and being only two kilometers from Málaga, Padre Isidro Miranda moved the town
...Near Málaga, Málaga, Colombia
Volcán Puracé
The star of this 803,600-hectare national park is Volcán Puracé. A near-perfect cone peak, it rises 4,760 meters (15,613 feet). A well-defined trail leads from the Pilimbalá ranger station through
...Parque Nacional Puracé, Colombia
Volcán Galeras
Early Pastuso mornings you can catch a glimpse of Galeras, when the clouds lift enough to see it sending up smoke signals. Located only seven kilometers from Pasto, the volcano has high Andean
...Pasto, Colombia
Reviews
colombia
it was awesome
The ultimate adventure country
The amazing landscapes, the variety of climates, the picturesque colonial towns, the life, friendliness and spontaneity of the people....make me wonder if the world's media are blind!?
Colombia es pasión
Fantastic country, great people and beautiful landscapes!
Colombia the best
The people, the food, the drink, the music - everything about this country is great...except the violence!
Upsides and downsides of Colombia
The people are open and friendly, the countryside is beautiful. On the other hand, the smog and traffic in Bogota are terrible. Stop signs are a mere suggestion.
Beautiful, safe and wonderful!
Love: the people, the food, the water, the free spirit, the history...
Dislike: The bad reputation this wonderful place gets.
Just a great country, forget the media!
Colombia is a very beautiful country with very beautiful people. There is so much to see besides just the normal tourist places. Go to some of the smaller cities in the mountain areas like Mariquita and Chia and see how friendly and nice the people are. It's safe to travel-- there are many ID checks by the police when you travel by bus, so you are fine even travelling to the smaller unseen and lesser-known cities. I was there for three weeks, and if I knew Spanish, I would be living there now.
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